Philatelic device



May 23, 1939.

R. MAYER PHILATELIC DEVICE Filed July 31, 1937 re I f n y l/ BACK COVER 1 OPEN WITH CARE I i 6a i t I @EJQRZQ; n

'(Qj Fl -1 135;;

BACK COVER OVEN WITH CARE INVENTOR R0 er? Mayer Patented May 23, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT on-" ca 4 Claims.

My present invention relates to message, merchandise, or philatelic relay devices, and more particularly to a device whose destination or destinations can'be directed at will by or at the discretion of the sender, or director, or relayer.

- Specifically, my invention may assume the general form of a mailing, or message cover in the combined form of a plurality of address blanks.

Where a plurality of such address blanks are utilized as an embodiment of my invention, preferably they are formed integral with each other and separableor distinguishable from each other by lines of fold or separation, though it is within the scope of my invention to have the same temporally connected therewith. I

Otherwise described, the invention in one .em-

bodiment thereof, consists in the provision of a plurality of sections formed integral with or attached to each other, in association with a comimon section, or flap, and in which each of the sections is adapted to be utilized as a space for address and postage of whatever form, and in which only one section will be visible during any one mailing period. However, all of the sections will remain intact regardless of the number of mailing periods through which the device The back of the various sections, and including thecommon section, may have explanatory indic ia thereon or may have instructions or infor mation for the use of the consignees or relayers appearing on the face of the sections or may be left blank as desired or contain an envelopefor private messages. The various sections are preferably formed'integral with each other and when so formed are distinguished from each other by a line or crease'formed on the material of the device.

The characteristicsand advantages of the invention are further sufliciently explained in connection with the following detail description and the accompanying drawing which show preferred embodiments.

Persons skilled in this art will understand that many variations may be made from the embodiments shown and described without departing from the principles of the invention, and in practicing the invention there is contemplated the employment of any structure or arrangement that are properly within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a development of a device embodying the present invention showing a plurality of secother.

tions and a common section all formed integral with each other.

Fig. 2 is a development of the rear face of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the structure 5 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in the process of folding the same, and preparatory to having section I in visible position.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the preliminary folding for having 10 the section 2 in visible position.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view similar to Figs. 3 and 4, but showing the preliminary folding preparatory to having section 3 in visible position.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the structure 15 shown in Fig. 3 after the completion of the folding operation and with a fastening device for holding the various sections in determined position.

Fig. 7 is a development of the front face of 20 a further embodiment of my invention and wherein the common section may be separate from the other sections and may be attached by any suitable means to any one of the other sections. 25

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a container for multidirectional cards for use particularly in the sending of merchandise, and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of the structure illustrated in Fig. 3, and showing a 30 plurality of direction cards in position therein.

Referring to the drawing, l0 designates the development of a structure illustrating one embodiment of the invention and wherein a plurality of sections i I, i2 and I3, together with a com- 35 mon section I, are formed integral with each The various sections II, I! and H! are separated or distinguished from each other by a weakened line or crease l5, and in the embodiment shown, the common section I4 is separated 4 or distinguished from the section I I by the weakened line or crease i6. I

The sections ii, I! and I3 respectively are provided with lines I60, on which ordinarily an address may be written, or such lines may be 45 omitted if desired. A space is left for the necessary stamps at any desired point on the face of the sections Ii, i2 and I3. On the back of the sections ll, I2 and i3 as shown in Fig. 2 are printed instructions, as it is contemplated 5 that the illustratedembodiment of the present invention will be used in mailing from one point to another with the intention in' view of having, ultimately, the devices returned to the sender or forwarded to any other relay point. This is de- 55 The device, however, is applicable for use in commercial work, as for example, in business or advertising it combines the dissemination of information to a large number of persons, and with the assurance of the sender that such persons will have received the information he desires to transmit to them, and for any other purposes wherein the object sent out by any person or persons is ultimately returned to them, with the visible: evidence thereon that the material sent out did, in due course, and on specified dates, reach the person or persons for whom the same was intended.

The device shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is ordinarily sent out by a person with the various addresses to which it is to be sent written or typed at the appropriate places on the face of the various sections, usually arranged seriatim. Instructions to the various recipients are contained ordinarily on the back of the sections as shown in Fig. 2, and the original sender or relayer then folds the structure shown in Fig. 1 in such a manner, and as indicated in Fig. 3, as to bring the name and address of the first desired recipient in visible position, and with all of the names and addresses of subsequent recipients hidden from view, that latter being performed by folding the section It around over section II in such a manner as to enclose between the sections II and I 4 the now intermediate sections l2 and I3, all as illustrated in Fig. 3. To ensure that the various sections are held in the desired position, the original sender will, by the use of a clip I! or a binder or adhesive tape or in any other desired manner, fasten the various sections together. The final form of the device, as it is to be ordinarily and originally sent out, is illustrated in perspective in Fig. 6.

Assuming the structure as shown in Fig. 6 to have been mailed to the person and to the address .indicated thereon, such person upon receipt thereof will remove the fastener or other device I! and will read the instructions on the back of the various sections II, I2 and I3, and comply, with such instructions. The first recipient will fold the device in the manner indicated in Fig. 4, will then place sufiicient postage on the exposed face of section I2 and after fastening the various sections together, as shown in Fig. 6, will place the same in the mail for transmission to the second designated recipient.

This process is repeated as long as there are sections II, I2 and I3, etc., and ordinarily the last section as section I3, is addressed to the original sender. Thus the structure ultimately returns to the original sender, and he then has in his hands a device which indicates visibly the persons to whom it was sent, the route or routes by which the same was transmitted, and the date on which the same was received by the recipients and mailed to the recipients.

The number of sections II, I2, I3, etc., may be as many as desired, and in any event there will means back cover section I4 at one end of the strip comprising the other sections II, I2, and II. When. however, the number of sections I I, I2, I3, is relatively large, I find it preferable to position the back cover I adjacent one of the intermediate sections, as the section I2 lying between the end sections as sections II and II. in the manner illustrated in. Fig. 7 which will be referred to hereinafter.

In the device as shown in Fig. l, the end sections II, I2 and I3 are so arranged as to be folded with respect to each other along the relatively, long edge and with the address spaces arranged vertically with respect to each other. It may be desirable, however, to arrange the sections so as to be folded on a line the width thereon as shown in Fig. 7. In this figure the sections I8, I9, 20, 2I, 22, etc., are arranged end to end and are formed Integral with each other. the various sections being defined or spaced from each other by the weakened lie or crease 23.

As, in the form shown in Fig. 7, there are a relatively large number of sections as I8, I9, 20, 2|, 22, etc., I find it preferable to place the back cover section 24 adjacent one of the intermediate sections, as the section 20.

The back cover sections I4 and 24 may be made separate from the other sections, and may be fastened to the other sections by any desired means. From a manufacturing standpoint, this I procedure may be desirable, as the group of sections II, I2, I3, etc., in Fig. l, and the sections I8, I9, 20, 2|, 22, etc., in Fig. '7, may be made in continuous strips, to be cut into groups of any number of sections desired.

In Figs. 8 and 9, is shown an exemplificationof the invention which is particularly adapted for use in the dispatching of merchandise, particularly where, for example, a specified article is to be sent to a number of different persons in succession. In suchevent, a plurality of name bearing sections as, for example, the sections I8, I9, 20, 2I, 22, etc. in Fig. 7, are provided with addresses and the first addressee has his name made visible in the structure shown in Figs. 8 and 9. In such figures, the body or back portion 35 has spaced apart therefrom members 36, 31, 38, which are formed integral therewith, and with each other, and are spaced apart from the back 35 to define a groove or slot 380., which would receive the plurality of cards 18 to 22, etc., as indicated. by the reference numeral 39, and the cards retained in position by, for example, a clip 40. Such clip 40 may also be utilized to secure the back 35 to the parcel or bundle containing the goods, or the back 35 may be attached to the wrapper or box containing the goods in any other suitable manner.

1 My device, formed according to my invention, is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and can be made to conform to all ofiicial postal and express regulations both here and abroad as regard to size, weight and content.

The sections and the common section or fiap may be secured together by any suitable means. Such means may, for example, betape, staples,

' stickers or any other desired means.

Whereas I have described my invention by reference to specific forms thereof, it wm be understood that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a device of the kind described the combination of av plurality of address sections arranged end end and each having indicia on I one face thereof denoting the address to which bination of a plurality of sections each having indicia on one face denoting the address to which the same is to be sent and on the opposite face with any desired information or instruction with regard tomerchandise, said sections being arranged end to end and formed integral with each other and distinguished from one another by a line or crease of demarcation whereby the plurality of address sections may be folded into a space substantially equal to the superficial area of one of the sections, and a sector common to all of the sections and formed integral with one of the sections and foldable into a parallel plane with all of the sections to expose only the address indicia of one section at any one a time.

3. In a device of the kind described the combination of a plurality of address sections each having indicia on one face denoting the address 'towhichthesameistobesent and on theopposite face with any desired information or instruction, said sections being arranged end to end and.formed integral with each other and distinguished from one another by a line or crease of demarcation, whereby the plurality of address sections maybe folded into a space substantially equal to the superficial area of one of the sections, and a sector common to all of the sections and formed integral with one of the sections and foldable into a parallel plane with all of the sections to expose only the address indicia of one section at any one time, and means for clipping all of said sections together into a compact bundle.

4. In a device of the kind described the com bination of a plurality of address sections arranged end to end and separable or distinguishable from each other by lines of demarcation, said sections each having address indicia on one face, and any desired information on the other face and said sections being adapted to fold on the lines of demarcation into a pile-up in which the sections are arranged parallel to each other, and a sector adapted to be associated with said pile-up to hide from view all but the address on any desired section, and means for clipping the pile-up of sections and fastening together into a compact bimdle.

ROBERT MAYER. 

